Auxiliary ladder rung



June 21, 1960 H. A. s'rlFFLER 2,941,617

AUXILIARY LADDER RUN@ Filed May 20, 1958- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N l N m\\. C will@ Q lla' ||||||i wu .EN mw N\ M om i IIII|IIIIUHUUHIUUHHHV|N I i I l l l I I l I I Il W m\ Huhaszwief al) INVETOR ATTORNEYS .l nnunwwl'. |||||||||v uulnllmmmmmwuluwwn. -lm 11---". .w

TM A H n n Nb ILII 1].||||||||I||| June 21, 1960 H. A. sTIFFLER AUXILYARY LADDER RUNG 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1958 Nh \N Hwy/@f INVENTOR Hugh United States Patent() AUXILIARY LADDER RUNG Hugh A. sinner; 956 N. Layman Ave., Indianapolis, Ina. Filed May V20, 1958, Ser. No. 736,594

z claims. (cl. isz-izo) l This inventioli relatesto an auxiliary ladder rung, and has as its primaryobject the provision of an auxiliary ladder rung which may be readily clamped to or detached from the rails of a ladder at any selected height for any desired purpose.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a ladder rung provided with means for adjustment whereby it may be readily applied to a wide variety of widths of ladders.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a ladder rung which may be applied in a variety of positions, and by a variety of means and having a clamping member associated therewith whereby the rung may be employed as a clamp for scaffolding or the like.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a ladder rung which may be readily adapted to any wood strap or straight ladder of conventional design and of any desired length.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the rung of the instant invention shown as applied to the rails of the ladder.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. l

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Figure 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the device as applied to a ladder rail.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6 6 of Figure 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rung as applied to a ladder rail in a different position of adjustment, showing a plank secured thereto, parts being broken away.

Figure 8 is an end elevational view, partially broken away of the construction in the position of Figure 7.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the auxiliary rung of the instant invention comprises a front piece generally indicated at 10 and a rear or clamping section generally indicated at 25. The front piece 10 comprises two telescoping sections 11 and 12, each of generally semi-circulan cross sectional configuration, and as shown in Figures 5I and 6. The outer section 12 is provided with an elongated slot 13, and the inner section 11 is provided with a threaded bore 14 for the accommodation of a screw 15, whereby the length of the ICC,

p clamping bolts 18, which may be positioned either on the inner or outer side of ladder rails 19. Additional openings are also provided at right angles to thev` openings 16 and 17, for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. As best shown in Figures 5 and 6 l the outer section 12 is provided with inwardly turned flanges 21, forming `a channel for the interior telescoping section 11, and one of the legs or sides 12a of the section 12 is longer than the other, for a purpose to be more fullyldescribed hereinafter.

'The clamping bar 25 includes a telescoping section 26l and 27, the outer section 27 being channel shaped, as best shown in Figure 5, and having an elongated slot 28 therein for the accommodation of a screw 29 which engages in a threaded aperture in the inner member 26. An opening 30 is provided at one end of the section 27, and an elongated slot 31, is provided at the outer end of the section 26.

In the use and operation of the device, as an auxiliary ladder rung, as when it is desired to stand on the same, the parts are assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the bolts 18 passed through the apertures 16 and along the outer side of the rails 19, and thence respectively through the opening 30 and the slot 31 in the members 27 and 26, and secured in position as by means of suitable wing nuts or knurled nuts 32, thus aifording a tightly clamped auxiliary rung at any desired location on a ladder or the like.

When it isdesired to use the `device as a support for a scatolding including a board 35 or the like, the parts are assembled as shown in Figures 7 and 8, with L bolts 36 having inwardly turned extremities 37 substituted for the bolts 18, and extended through the openings 16 or 17 on the inner or outer sides of the ladder rails 19 as may be desired, and secured in position as by means of wing nuts or knurled nuts 32. When employed in this manner' the clamping member 25 is adapted to be secured over the top of the board 35 by means of relatively short bolts 38, which extend through the openings 20 in the sections 11 and 12, and through the opening Strand the slot 31 of the clamping member 25. The bolts 28 may obviously be passed on either side of the board or scaolding 35, and held in position by means of wing nuts or knurled nuts 39, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. Obviously the length of the clamping member 25 may be suitably varied in accordance with the width of the board 35 when employed in this manner.

When the device is employed in a manner shown in Figures 7 and 8, the utility of the elongated portion 12a becomes apparent, as underlying the board 35 and positioned between the rails 19, in order to afford a better support. IIt will also be noted that in this arrangement, as in the arrangement previously described, the outer or upper portion of the member 10 seats against the surface of the rail 19, while the lower portion 12a extends between the rails to afford a stronger grip thereon.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved auxiliary ladder rung, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

1 anim;

f1. A-n auxiliary rung for a ladder or the like, the

meanspincluding L bolts extended through saidV aperturesI and engageable'about said rails, said step plates having additional apertures -therein at right angles to said-first mentioned apertures, bolts extendedy through said additional apertures and a clamping plate engaged byvsaid last mentioned bolts adapted to secure a plank to the topl of said'step plate.

2.- An auxiliary rung for a ladder or the like, the combination of a step plate including telescoping sections, means for securing said sections in a selected position, each of vsaid sections having an aperture adjacent an end, means engaging said apertures for securing said step plate to the rails of a ladder, said last mentioned means including L bolts extended Ithrough said aperturesl and engageable about said rails, said step plates having additional apertures therein at right angles to said first mentioned apertures, bolts extended through said additional apertures, a clamping plate engaged by said last mentioned bolts adapted to secure a plank to the top of said step plate, and means for varying the effective length of said clamping plate.

References Cited in the tile of this patent p UNITEDSTATES PATENTS,

567,755 Stillmanl Sept. 15, 1896 1,285,817 Sklar Nov. 26, 1918 1,494,267 Melsha May 13, 1924 1,543,551 Couche et al June 23, 1925 2,585,150 McGill Feb. 12, 1952 2,599,976 Carlson June. 10, 1952,` 

